Judge Judy to Star in TV Courtroom Show With a Panel of Judges

Judith Sheindlin, better known as Judge Judy, has developed a new syndicated three-judge panel TV show that will air in 75 percent of American households this fall.

CBS Television Distribution announced Thursday that the new show, "Hot Bench," will include a judge and two attorneys who will debate cases brought into their television courtroom, according to the Associated Press.

Sheindlin said that she got the idea after watching three-judge panels during a trip to Ireland.

The New York Daily News reported last week that the series signed its first star in Brooklyn Supreme Court Judge Patricia DiMango. DiMango announced that she was leaving her post to move to California for the reality series.

"Brooklyn-born like Judge Judy, DiMango already has some Hollywood mannerism: tanned and wearing tight-fitting dresses, the 50-something divorced jurist (who asked for her age not to be published) drives a sporty Porsche and runs a courtroom filled with theatrics," the Daily News reported.

DiMango was just appointed as the top administrative judge of Brooklyn Supreme Court.

"She has the intelligence, spunk, passion and beauty to assure television viewers will tune in on a daily basis," Defense Attorney and Fox Legal Analyst Arthur Aidala told the Daily News. "She is riveting!"

DiMango will be joined by attorneys Tanya Acker and Larry Bakman.

"I look forward to the next chapter of my life with this exciting new adventure at 'Hot Bench' and the incredible opportunity that awaits me," DiMango said. "My 16 years as a New York State Supreme Court Justice has been the most rewarding time of my professional life."